WHAT a night it was for Luke "The Nuke" Littler in Liverpool.
In another Premier League homecoming of sorts, the Warringtonian teenager was in stunning form to take his third nightly win to return to the top of the table and all but ensure his debut season will end in a play-off appearance.
He produced a staggering display in the final, racing into a 5-0 lead over a helpless Rob Cross before eventually closing out a 6-2 win to lift the trophy.
Littler reached his fourth final in the past five weeks thanks to an epic comeback victory over Nathan Aspinall having earlier kicked off his evening with a more routine victory over Gerwyn Price.
Luke Littler barrage stuns Rob Cross
The momentum from that superb semi-final fightback was clearly still evident as he strode out for the final as Cross, who had arguably been in better form throughout the night, was powerless to resist.
A checkout of 111 to win the opening leg against the throw set the tone and after a nerveless finish of 80 held off a Cross attack in the next, Littler put the hammer down.
By the time he took out 80 again to move 4-0 up, he had hit four of his five attempts at double and in leg five, his match average topped 110.
There was a brief Cross rally as he ensured he would not be whitewashed, but it was too little too late as Littler pinned his third match dart to secure victory with a match average of 105.
Aspinall crestfallen as "The Nuke" fights back
With Aspinall in superb form and leading 5-2, it looked as though Littler was heading out in the last four albeit having regained top spot in the table overall by way of his stablemate’s victory over Luke Humphries in the quarters.
Then, however, the fightback began – six maximums and a more clinical doubling display allowed him to reel his opponent in.
He had his fair share of luck with Aspinall missing five match darts but when Littler’s time to strike came in the decider, he needed just one, taking out double 20 to claim a stunning win.
His 6-3 victory over Price to open the show was less spectacular but much more routine – he failed to hit a 180 during the game but still managed to average over 100.
Another solid display on the doubles, with 50 per cent hit, allowed him to see off the Welshman and defy the boos of at least some of the Liverpudlian crowd for reminding them of Everton’s 2-0 Merseyside Derby victory over Liverpool last night during his opening walk-on.
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